Silver Dusk
by Marvel-Tolkien Fangirl
Summary: Six months after Wanda Maximoff encountered her brother again, the Avengers still have no idea how to restore his memories and bring him home. A deadly new threat causes loyalties to be questioned, as enemies arise from within the human race...and outside it. Sequel to 'Scarlet Dawn'. Steve/Wanda, Tony/Pepper, Clint/Natasha, Pietro/Crystal.
1. Chapter 1

**Silver Dusk**

**Chapter One**

Wanda Maximoff walked slowly out of the NY Shield facility, her face a mask of calm. She walked at this pace for a few yards, until she turned into an alleyway. At which point she let out a inarticulate cry of frustration, and kicked a nearby trash can hard enough to knock it over and send it rolling down the alley, the crash echoing for several minutes after the can stopped rolling. She ran her hands through her long hair, yanking at it. For _six months_ Shield had been investigating the mysterious race of people that her amnesiac twin now lived among, after a long and convuluted argument between Nick Fury, Wanda herself, and the other Avengers. She had checked on the results of this 'research' periodically, yet they had supposedly found _nothing! _She exhaled heavily. Fuming wasn't going to make answers appear out of thin air.

Her cell chimed in her jeans pocket. She tugged it into her hand, still in a temper but grateful for any distraction.

"What?"

"Whoa, hello to you too!" Tony's voice sounded like it always did- amused, sarcastic, and half distracted because the billionaire was focusing on twenty things at once.

A wry smirk spread across the young woman's face. Tony might be aggravating, but somehow he always managed to make people want to laugh. "Are you calling me for a reason, or are you just bored?"

"Meh. You're more fun to talk to than Jarvis."

"Thank you for that compliment, sir." The AI's voice sounded put out, even over the phone, and Wanda stifled a laugh. She could just imagine Tony's expression...

"Hey, by the way, Wands, you're late."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Wanda snapped, not in the mood for Stark's banter. "And late for what?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "The party, Wanda. You know, to celebrate _your boyfriend's_ thawing?"

Wanda swore fiercely. "That was today?"

"Yep," the billionaire replied, laughing. "And where did you hear that one? I am so going to use it on Stern the next time he's a-"

"I'm on my way," Wanda interrupted, her mood not improving. She disconnected the phone call, scowling. How could she have forgotten? Had she really got so caught up in the hunt for Pietro that she'd forgotten the (ill-advised) party? Though she had told Tony Steve might not appreciate a huge fuss, it hadn't dissuaded him from his plans. She was going along to try and keep things under control. Hopefully, between her, Bruce and Pepper, Tony wouldn't go _too_ crazy... he wouldn't give details, except to say it would be 'an awesome surprise' for Steve. He could have arranged _anything_!

Shaking her head, she pocketed her phone and began walking home, vaguely wondering how exactly Tony was keeping Steve out of the way while the party was set up. She wasn't sure she wanted to know...

The top floor of the tower was utterly silent when she got there. The lights were on, but there was no sign of anyone...until Steve walked into the lounge, looking confused, but smiling warmly at her.

"Did you find anything out at Shield?" His face fell as he took in her expression. "I'm guessing not..." He shifted uncomfortably. "Where is everyone, do you think? Tony sent me off to try and get hold of some component he ordered, but the shipment isn't due for another week, apparently."

Wanda shrugged, "Maybe Tony just got the delivery date wrong?" _Seriously, Stark, you couldn't think of a better excuse than that?_

Thankfully, Steve seemed to accept her explanation. He peered around curiously.

"Where is everyone? Normally Tony at least is here at this time of day...typical of him to send me on one of his errands, then disappear before he has to do any actual work. No-one else here?"

She shook her head, despite knowing full well everyone was hiding in the rec room. She tried not to smirk as she beckoned him to follow her.

Steve blinked. "Ok, something's going on here..." Not receiving an answer, he followed Wanda, a puzzled frown creasing his forehead. "Where are you going?"

Wanda walked quickly, slipping into the darkened rec room with Steve a few minutes behind her, glancing back once to make sure he saw where she went. She stifled a yelp when she collided with someone.

"Oww! Wands, that was my foot!" Tony's voice was muffled suddenly- Pepper must've put her hand over his mouth, Wanda mused. _It'll be an interesting adjustment for Tony when they tie the knot...maybe he'll finally grow up. _Tony had proposed to Pepper- what was it, two weeks ago now? She forced her mind back into the here and now.

"Wanda?" Steve's voice was utterly confused as he came into the darkened room. "What is..."

"SURPRISE!"

The super-soldier almost jumped out of his skin as the lights came back up, revealing Tony, Pepper, Wanda, Bruce, Clint and Natasha gathered around the strangely-decorated rec room. There were a dozen or so other people there, although James Rhodes, Phil Coulson and Betty Ross were the only ones Steve recognised.  
Tony was grinning. "Welcome to your Thawday party!"

Steve blinked. "Thor's here?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I said thaw, not Thor. You know, cause its been two years since you were defrosted?"

"Oh, uh, thanks, guys." Steve managed a smile. "Surprise parties aren't really my thing, but...this is really cool of you." He shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the decorations. Posters of a man in a suit, often accompanied by a young girl, several prints of cylindrical robots with arms, a model of an old-fashioned phone booth of some kind... "What is all this?"

Pepper and Wanda giggled, Bruce went red. "I, uh...I like Doctor Who. I just thought it'd be a good time to introduce you guys to it."

"Nothing wrong with a little culture." Natasha observed. She was stood closer to Clint than usual, but then, Steve reflected, they had been dating for a few months now...

"Um...I've never heard of Doctor Who. Sorry."

Wanda slid her hand into his. "Don't worry, until Bruce set all this up, I hadn't heard of it either. It's a British TV series or something..."

"It's one of the best sci-fi shows ever!"

"It's a pathetic sitcom that should've been axed years ago."

Bruce's enthusiastic voice and Tony's dry one were utterly in contrast. Clint rolled his eyes as they glared at each other.

"Truce, kids, ok? Let's agree to disagree about the obscure tv show, and just get on with the party." He grinned at Steve. "I didn't think it'd be much of a party with only seven people, so I asked a few of Nat's and my friends from Shield. Plus Tony invited Rhodey. Hope you don't mind?"

"No, no, it's...fine."

"Ok!" Tony held his hands out dramatically. "I got some of my best vintage out for this... Jarvis?"

"I'm sorry, sir. Miss Potts insisted no alcohol be allowed at this party unless Mr Rogers requested it."

Tony's jaw dropped. He looked at Steve pleadingly. "One drink, Spangles? Please?"

"As it's supposed to be my party, no. I'm sure you'll survive one day without a drink."

Tony looked imploringly at Pepper. Getting no response, he sighed. "Alright, fine. Music time!" He clapped his hands, and 'Shoot to Thrill' by 'AC/DC' began echoing around the room.

Everyone stood around awkwardly for a few minutes, before spreading out, making conversation with some of the casually-dressed Shield agents. Steve had to admit that it was fun to spend time with a large group of people- it reminded him of his time with the Howling Commandos, back in WWII... but he was trying to focus on his future, not the past. He let Wanda drag him off to get some snacks.

Coulson elbowed his way over to them, grabbing a handful of nachos.

"Great party." the agent nodded, his voice as mild as always. "Love the decorations, by the way." He grinned. "Nice to know I'm not the only fan of the Doctor around here."

"Huh? Oh, no. Bruce chose the decorations." Steve's voice was apologetic. "I'd never even heard of it til today."

Coulson raised an eyebrow. "Banner's a fan? Wonder who his favourite Doctor is..." He idled over towards Bruce to ask that very question- so few Americans were intersted in the classic TV series, it was a minor miracle in his eyes to have found one! Soon he, Bruce and Betty were caught up in a discussion about the TV show- apparently, Ross was a fan as well.

"Does he ever _not_ wear that suit, do you think?" Wanda smirked. "Every time we see him, he looks the same!"

Steve snorted. "Sometimes I think he must sleep in it, to be honest."

She put her head on his shoulder. "Great party, right? Sorry I didn't tell you, but Tony was so adamant about it being a surprise..."

He squeezed her hand. "It's amazing." _And it might help you focus on something other than the lack of information about Pietro, as well. _Her single-minded determination to track him down was worrying him- she wasn't sleeping well, for a start. He cleared his throat, looking over at Tony and Pepper, who were dancing (at least, Steve thought it was meant to be dancing, although the 'modern' style just looked bizarre to him). "Would you like to dance?"

Wanda opened her mouth to answer, when klaxon-like alarms began blaring throughout the whole tower.

_**To be continued...**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Jarvis, what tripped that?" Tony yelled over the wailing alarms. "And cut the noise already, we know something's wrong!"

The other Avengers had gathered close to him, waiting for Jarvis' response.

"Jarvis! Answer!"

"My apologies, sir. It appears one of the new Stark Industries computer technicians took a wrong turn and accidentally tried to gain access to your labs. I have directed him elsewhere now."

"You couldn't have stopped him before he got that far? Tell whoever it is to get up here, _now_!"

"Yes, sir."

Pepper made her way over, pushing through the gathered party guests, murmuring reassurances as she went.

"Yes, everything's fine...minor glitch, nothing to worry about...excuse me." Reaching Tony, she narrowed her eyes.

"Did I hear that right? Someone tried to get into your lab?"

"Yeah... apparently one of the new computer tech guys got turned around. Jarvis says everything's ok."

Pepper sighed. "I told you you should've given all the new employees a tour. That way they might know which areas are off-limits!"

"Geez, Pep, give me a break, it's a party! Anyway, Jarvis is sending whoever it was up here, so you can chew him out to your heart's content."

Bruce frowned. "You hired new people to work with _your_ computer systems, and didn't meet them all personally?"

"Jarvis screens everyone!" Tony said defensively. "Besides, I'll meet them all eventually, so why make a big deal of it?"

Steve resisted the urge to bash his head on the wall- _why_ did Tony never take anything seriously? "Computers, even intelligent ones, can be overcome, Tony."

"Not mine!" Tony bragged. "No human on earth can outwit my genius."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Put me down for 'I told you so' when you're wrong, Stark."

"Hey, is that..." Bruce gestured at the doorway. A lanky man with wild black hair and icy blue eyes was standing there, looking sheepish. Tony made his way over to him, scowling. Pepper kept an eye on them as the other Avengers dispersed to rejoin the party.

The man fidgeted nervously as Tony approached. "Your, ah, computer said you wanted to speak to me?"

"Yeah, just need to clarify that working here doesn't give you a free pass to go anywhere you want, alright? My lab is off-limits unless I specifically invite you. Got it?"

The new employee held his hands up apologetically. "I am sorry. Your suits just seemed so fascinating. I only hoped to get a closer look. It won't happen again, I promise."

Tony shrugged. "Understandable. My suits _are_ incredible, if I do say so myself."

A strange smirk grew on the man's face, making him look slightly unnerving. "Quite proud of yourself, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you be, if you'd manged to invent something like that?"

"Yes... I am an inventor, actually. Or I used to be. My family didn't approve of my aspirations, so I came here looking for somewhere to apply my talents."

Tony's interest was piqued. "Your family have something against inventors?"

"Apparently. My older brother believed I spent too much time and energy on projects he didn't approve of, and put a stop to it. My cousins all went along with him. They always have."

"That sucks... no parents?"

The man's face darkened. "No... they died in an accident when I was sixteen."

Tony winced. "Sorry..."

He shook his head. "It was a long time ago. Grief fades."

"I suppose." Tony felt awkward now, knowing he'd put his foot in it. "Uh... you can give me a hand with the suits if you want. I'm always improving them, could use an extra pair of hands..."

Pale blue eyes blinked. "I wouldn't want to get in your way. I have very little experience with your level of technology..."

"Nah, it'll be fine. I'll teach you anything you need to know. What's your name, anyway?"

"Oh! How could I forget? I'm Max."

Tony grinned. "Max, then. Enough about work. Come and join the party!"

He didn't notice when the grin on Max's face turned into a sneer.

_**~ Attilan, in the Himalayas ~**_

Crystal Amaquelin and her husband Pietro were enjoying a rare moment of peace in their quarters. Pietro's training with the Royal Guard gave them very little time to themselves, and that was without considering Crystal's own duties as the Queen's sister.

Currently, however, Crystal was lying on the couch with her head in Pietro's lap. She sighed contentedly, her hand absently stroking the slight swell of her stomach.

Pietro smiled at her. "Everything all right?"

"Mmm... just thinking."

He kissed her forehead. "About what?"

"Us... the baby... everything." She propped herself up on one elbow, meeting his eyes. "Do you still think about what happened six months ago? The humans who seemed to know you?"

"Sometimes... but it doesn't really matter. My life is here now."

"But you might still have family out there..." Crystal bit her lip. "I can't help but worry that I might lose you..."

"Never going to happen." He squeezed her hand lightly, bending to kiss her again.

Footsteps interrupted them however. Crystal's cousin Karnak had entered their apartments. He cleared his throat to get the young couple's attention. They disentangled themselves and stood quickly.

Karnak's expression was unusually severe.

"Crystal. Pietro. The king has requested the presence of the entire royal family in the dungeons."

"What's happened?" Crystal was uneasy, never having like going into the gloomy subterrannean prison.

"We are not sure yet. Follow me." Karnak walked away swiftly without another word.

The youngest royals fell into step behind him. No-one spoke as he lead them through Attilan's streets, though Pietro's mind was racing. In all the time he had lived here, he had never seen the dungeons- he had hardly known they existed! Attilan, under King Black Bolt's rule, was a peaceful place, and he couldn't imagine why anyone would want to jeapordise that.

A short while later, they had reached the forbidding structure of the prison, and Karnak led them inside silently. The silent king, Black Bolt, looked up as they entered, nodding his satisfaction at having the whole family together, and being sure of their safety. Medusa, his Queen and Crystal's elder sister, stood beside him, her animated red hair twisting, showing her unease. Gorgon, who was knelt by an unresponsive winged guard, looked up, glared at Pietro as he always did, then returned his gaze to his King.

His voice was low, almost inaudible. "This one's dead. I've looked around his cell, and those nearby. No sign of him anywhere. He's long gone."

An expression of anger and frustration spread across Black Bolt's face, though he, as ever, made no sound. Medusa's jaw tightened.

"He will be found. He cannot have gone far." Her voice was authorative. "I assume Triton is still minding Ahura?"

Karnak nodded. "I instructed him not to leave your son alone until the prisoner is re-captured, my Queen."

Pietro had no idea who the escapee was, but he felt relieved at that, at least- the heir to the throne was only four years old, and would be an easy target for any criminal.

"Should I send an alert through the city?" Gorgon's voice was gruff. "If our people aren't on their guard..."

Black Bolt nodded his agreement, and Gorgon excused himself.

"Alerting our people may not help." Karnak warned. "He must know that he will be caught if he remains in Attilan."

Everyone's eyes turned to him.

"You think he will try and escape into the human world?" Medusa's voice was worried. "That will complicate things..."

Karnak knelt by the body of the prison guard. "Cold...the guard has been dead for some time. He may have already escaped..."

Crystal interrupted. "Isn't anyone going to say _who's_ escaped?" She folded her arms, already having her suspicions about who the prisoner was, but praying she was wrong...

"Maximus." Karnak's voice was bleak. "As no doubt you have already guessed."

Crystal's face went pale. Pietro staggered. He had never met the king's brother, but Crystal had told him enough of the stories. He swallowed.

"So you're saying a madman with genius-level intellect who hates all humans has disappeared without a trace? How could this happen?!" Crystal winced at his tone, and he kicked himself for his tactlessness, but he couldn't see how this could get any worse.

Medusa shot him a cold look. Black Bolt turned away and left, his expression unreadable. She followed him quickly.

Karnak stood, narrowing his eyes at Pietro.

"You really should learn to think before you speak. Maximus will be found. In the meantime, the best any of us can do is be vigilant, and pray he is located before he does any serious harm." He strode after the king and queen without a backward glance.

Pietro held his hands up. "I'm sorry, I'm just...confused." He looked at Crystal. "I would have thought we would have discovered the escape of such a dangerous prisoner as soon as it happened."

She sighed. "Ordinarily, when a prisoner escapes, the guards would sound the alarm at once. The only reason they might not..."

Pietro raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Is if a false suggestion was planted in their minds. Maximus has some mind-controlling abilities. They might have forgotten even seeing him. And if he has escaped into the human world..." She shook her head. "Gods help the humans."

**To be continued...**

_**AN: Any names in this chapter that readers might not recognise are Inhumans from the comics. Further information can be found on Wikipedia.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**AN: Dedicated to Myth Queen.**

"You know, if you add a better conductor between your propulsion pack and the repulsor beams on your palms, you would be able to add that smoothie machine you've been talking about," Max said, his cold blue eyes narrowing as he stared at the plans for Tony's newest Iron Man suit.

"I've decided to nix the smoothie maker. What if some part of a person got into it while I was fighting?" Tony replied, rubbing his eyes. He shut down the virtual screens. "That's enough for today, anyway. Pepper wanted to go see a movie."

"Hmm." Max looked somewhat disappointed as Tony herded him out of the workshop. "I could stay behind and do some extra work."

"Now, come on. That's too much even for you. Besides, there's a really cute receptionist at work that's coming, too. I told her that I'd have a genius date for her. How about it?"

Max rolled his eyes. "She thinks she's going out with you."

"No, I told her 'Pepper and I are going on a date and I have this genius friend who'd like to meet you.' You wouldn't want to disappoint her, would you?" Tony grinned and slapped Max on the back.

Max returned the gesture with a wan smile. "I did not know that blind dates were part of the job description."

"They aren't usually, but I like you, Max, and I take care of my friends. Just look at the way I reunited Bruce and Betty, how I got Clintasha together finally-"

"I think they did that on their own."

"Another part of the job description is that you always agree with my insanity, Max, okay?"

"Whatever you say, sir."

When they got upstairs, Pepper was waiting in deep discussion with Steve. She looked upset. Tony went over to her and slid an arm around her waist.

"You're not ready to go." He frowned. "Hey, Spangles, what's up?"

"I had a meeting with Fury, and he told us all to take a month off of duty. That includes searching for Pietro Maximoff." Steve's brow was dark with a frown. "Wanda isn't going to be happy... And there was something about how Fury was talking, like he was trying to tell me something."

A light lit Tony's eyes.

"No," Pepper and Steve said in unison.

"You know how much Fury hates it when you hack SHIELD's database," Pepper said, frowning.

"That's why it's fun! Have you never noticed how funny Fury is when he's angry?"

Max tilted his head to one side, intrigued. "Forgive me for asking, but what is SHIELD, and who is Fury?" His expression was puzzled, but curious.

All three of them jumped, Pepper biting her lip. Tony winced. They all tended to forget that SHIELD was a secret organisation, and now a civilian had just learned of its existence.

Pepper tried to do damage control. "SHIELD is just... a company we sometimes work with. Fury... manages them. They prefer confidentiality though, so it's probably best if..."

"If I do not say anything." Max finished smoothly, nodding. "Of course, I would hate to blunder into anything sensitive. Forgive my curiousity."

Tony waved his hand dismissively. "Curiousity's fine. I trust you not to say anything. Now," he grinned persuasively at Pepper, "are we going on this double date, or are you going to leave me on my own to potentially break into certain files again?"

Pepper shook her head in exasperation, but smiled a few seconds later. "Ok, you win. Just give me a few minutes to get ready." She slipped out quietly, going to change.

Steve scowled. "Tony, there is the small matter I just brought up..." He folded his arms.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about it when we get back, ok? Our problems aren't going anywhere... and neither are you! Nice try, Max."

Max had been on the verge of walking out of the room, plainly hoping to avoid Tony's double date. He sighed heavily, dragging his feet as he made his way back to Tony.

"Look, Tony, I enjoy working alongside you, but I really don't appreciate you trying to commandeer my social life as well." His icy blue eyes met Tony's as he spoke. "I would really rather stay here, and catch up on some work."

Tony blinked a few times. "Ok, if you insist. I guess a bit more work couldn't hurt. But you _are_ coming along next time. Got it?"

Max grinned. "Whatever you say, Tony. You're in charge."

"And don't you forget it." Tony nodded decisively as Pepper returned, now wearing a sleeveless blue dress and black 3-inch pumps. Tony put his arm round her shoulders as Max slunk away.

She glanced after Max, confused. "I thought..."

"He decided he'd rather not come. I'm not gonna force the guy."

Pepper mock gasped. "Someone other than me managed to talk you out of something?! I've got to find out how."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!"

"Just keep telling yourself that." Pepper smirked as she and Tony headed for the doors.

"Later, Spangles!"

Pepper glanced back at Steve apologetically as her boyfriend tugged her outside. "See you later!"

Steve fought the urge to facepalm- _why_ did Tony never take _anything_ seriously? Fury had essentially told them they had to quit looking for Pietro, and Tony acted as if that wasn't going to cause serious problems, and just waltzed off out on a date! And now _he_ would have to break the news to Wanda- not something he relished the idea of doing. She'd been through so much already, and he didn't even know why, exactly, all Avengers missions had been ordered to cease.

"Why are you looking so serious?"

Steve groaned silently. _Speak of the devil..._ "Um... no reason, Tony's just goofing off again. It gets on my nerves, you know that." He attempted a reassuring smile, taking Wanda's hand.

She narrowed her eyes, not fooled. "Ok, that's half... what's the other part of the problem?"

He sighed. "You might want to sit down. I probably should tell Bruce as well, but this will affect you the most..."

She tensed, but let him lead her to the sofa. "What is it?"

He spoke slowly, being careful with his words. "You know I had a meeting with Director Fury earlier today. Apparently, for the next month, the Avengers are on leave. We won't be sent on any official missions, and..." he grimaced, knowing she'd hate this part. "We... have to stop looking for Pietro."

She dropped his hand, moving away from him. Her face paled. "No! Why? We can't just give up!"

His eyes wouldn't meet hers. "It's just what Fury said. He didn't give any reasons."

"Oh no, of course not. The 'super-spy' doesn't have to explain any of his actions!" Wanda's voice grew louder as she raged. "And we're just expected to sit idly for an indefinite period of time, while _my brother_ is out there, with a bunch of aliens, thinking he has no family!"

"Wanda-" Steve broke off. She was right, he knew that, but he wasn't used to questioning those he considered superiors. He supposed it was part of his army training, to do what he was told... but what _was_ SHIELD playing at?

**~ That moment, in Tony's lab ~**

Maximus's pale blue eyes fixed on the virtual screen before him. He zoomed in on the red-headed woman. She seemed very concerned about that _human_ that had wormed his way into the royal family... had she called him 'brother'? That could prove very useful...

He allowed himself a small smirk as he recalled how easy it had been to convince Stark that he was an employee of his company, and to befriend him afterwards. As for his 'sophisticated' AI... he had almost died laughing. He'd rarely seen such primitive technology! Now every appliance in Stark's tower was under Maximus' control. At this moment, from JARVIS' perspective, he was not even in the tower- the cameras showed him leaving shortly after Stark and his lover had.

"As is Stark himself..." He snickered. The self-proclaimed human genius had no idea that he'd become tangled in a spider's web, and wouldn't until it was too late. His 'team-mates' were equally as gullible, but what could one expect from a band of humans, really?

_Now to find out what this 'SHIELD' really is..._

He input a series of commands into the JARVIS computer, and in seconds had full access to the agency's files. He flipped through them rapidly, his eyes scanning for anything of interest.

"Avengers not on active duty... Search for Pietro Maximoff has yielded no results... there's a huge surprise, if any humans exist that know of Attilan, I've yet to meet them..." He rolled his eyes. "Ultron? This sounds promising... oh, how quaint, it's encrypted." He yawned, typing another command in. His eyes widened, and he started to laugh. Humans were such _fools!_

Building an intelligent machine, giving it the ability to think, and letting _it_ be responsible for the defense of their world? And his people called _him_ mad! Didn't the humans realise how easy it would be for a robot's directives to be altered? He shook his head as he quickly erased all traces of his computer hacking. It wouldn't do to be caught now...

He laughed again as a plan sprang fully formed into his mind. Stumbling across the human Pietro's sister was a stroke of luck he could never have anticipated. He could use that connection to cause strife in the Royal Family from a distance, distracting them from hunting him down, and this 'Ultron', the as-yet-untested robot, would become his means of destroying the human world. Then, when the time was right, he could _finally_ cast his silent brother down from the throne of Attilan, and take back what was rightfully his.

The thought was so euphoric that he burst into laughter yet again. If anyone had been around to hear it, they might have noticed that the echoing sound held the tinge of madness.

_**To be continued...**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Wait, let me get this straight. Fury contacts you with no warning, and tells you that, for some reason, the higher-ups of SHIELD think the world is safe enough to give the Avengers a month off active duty?" Tony's voice was dripping sarcasm. He and Pepper had just returned from their dinner date, and Steve had gathered what few Avengers were there (himself, Wanda, Bruce and Tony) to discuss the latest development.

He sighed heavily. "Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it."

"That and SHIELD apparently forbids us to keep looking for Pietro as well." Wanda practically spat.

Tony frowned at that. "That's out of line... I get that the bureaucrats don't want us working, because it reminds them that they're _not_ the most powerful people in the world, but telling us we can't look for a missing team-mate?" He shook his head. "I'm seriously thinking about ignoring that part. They can't tell me what I can and can't do with my own time and equipment."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You're only _thinking_ about defying SHIELD again? That's progress- normally, you'd have already done it!"

A ripple of laughter went through the group at that. Even Wanda managed a slight grin. It faded almost immediately though.

"Tony, I'd really appreciate it if you would keep looking, but..." She bit her lip, glancing around warily. "Exactly how dangerous are SHIELD? I still don't really know that much about them, and I don't want to see you get hurt for getting on the wrong side of them..."

"SHIELD is only a threat to people who frequently disobey orders, or hack into their databases." A dry female voice said, making the whole team jump.

Natasha was leaning on the wall just behind them, Clint standing behind her, smirking.

Tony gritted his teeth. "I've _got_ to change those locks..."

"Hello to you too, Stark." Natasha folded her arms, glaring at Tony accusingly.

"What are you looking at me like that for? For once, I haven't done anything!"

"Three hours ago, one of SHIELD's most sensitive and secure files was hacked into and read via a computer system traced to Stark Tower." Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You have a very strange definition of 'not having done anything'!"

"What- hold up, I wasn't even _here_ three hours ago. Pep and I just got back from a date!"

Natasha blinked, looking at Pepper for confirmation.

"It's true. We had dinner at Masa, then did a bit of shopping. You can check with the restaurant, if you like. We had a reservation." Pepper didn't mind Tony getting chewed out when he _had_ done something wrong, but she wasn't going to stand by and let him get blamed for something he hadn't done.

Clint frowned speculatively. "Is there anyone else who might've been using your computers while you were out?"

"Just one of my new technicians. He's one of the brightest guys I've ever met, except me." Tony quipped.

"And you trust him?" Natasha's voice was wary.

"Sure, why shouldn't I? Max is a friend."

"Really? How long have you known him?"

"I..."

Natasha wasn't done. "Where did he go to school? Where's he from? What's his last name?"

Tony held his hands up. "Enough with the Inquisition, Romanoff!"

"Nat..." Clint's voice was low. "Ease off."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a coincidence that this happens just after you've hired some new guy, and he's apparently become your BFF in no time at all."

"Put like that, it does sound a bit strange..." Steve narrowed his eyes at Tony. "Isn't this the same guy who supposedly 'got lost' and almost broke into your private lab?"

"Well, yeah, but... everyone has problems learning their way around a new place!"

"True enough." Wanda input. "I certainly did- I still do, sometimes. And sorry, but I don't think this is the right time to be digging for dirt on some Stark Industries worker." She glared heatedly at Natasha, then Clint. "I don't suppose either of you know anything about why the Avengers are suddenly off-duty?"

The assasins exchanged looks, and sighed.

"You want the short version or the long one?" Clint's voice was sarcastic, the only sign he was annoyed. Natasha's face was suited for poker- utterly blank.

"Either." Bruce spoke up for the first time. "I don't really get it. We're the only precaution in place if there's another alien invasion or something. If we're not authorised to work, who'll deal with problems?"

Clint pulled his cell out of his pocket, pressing a few buttons before passing it to Bruce.

Bruce adjusted his glasses, peering at the screen. "...Fully capable of maintaining matters of world security... designed by Dr Henry Pym... Fully assembled, but untested so far..." His eyes widened. "SHIELD's actually made this? Mapped _human brain patterns_ onto a robot?"

"_This_ is the replacement for the Avengers?" Tony sounded disgusted. "A prototype that may not even work?"

Steve met Wanda's eyes, sighing. "It sounds fine... in theory. But no machine's ever going to be as good as a person. Not in battle. Why does Fury think-"

"It's not Fury!" Natasha snapped. "His superiors have never felt comfortable with a team of vigilantes. They think this new 'security measure' will be easier to control."

Wanda folded her arms. "That's ridiculous... and I still don't see why we've also been told to stop searching for my brother."

"_You've_ been told to stop looking: SHIELD's agents haven't." Clint's voice was grim.

Steve suddenly had a feeling that no-one was going to like what Clint said next...

"Because Pietro is now affiliated with a race of beings that no-one knows anything about... he will be treated like a hostile if he crosses paths with SHIELD."

Over half an hour of arguing ensued, the group more or less divided in half. Clint and Natasha could understand that decision. They had military training, and knew that there weren't many grey areas in this sort of situation. Steve was torn: he could see SHIELD's point of view, but... Pietro was not an enemy. He remained silent for now. Tony, Bruce and Wanda were making that argument for him.

"So, what you're basically saying is, it doesn't _matter_ that my brother has no idea that maybe he shouldn't be on the side of these aliens? SHIELD's going to ignore his amnesia, and just treat him like an enemy?"

"She has a point." Bruce's voice wasn't as loud as Wanda's, but it carried. "This isn't a black-and-white situation. Are there even going to be attempts to restore Pietro's memory if he's found?"

"Fury did say to tell you that, yes, if he's found, restoration of identity will be a priority." Clint sounded relieved to finally have some good news to tell.

Tony huffed in annoyance. "So, to sum this up, Avengers are out of commision because some suits thought a _robot_ could do a better job, and we're just supposed to sit here doing nothing until it goes wrong?"

"Basically, yes. Although in theory, from what I read, Ultron isn't capable of messing up." Bruce shook his head. "I'll be first in line for 'I told you so' when Tony's right."

**~ Stark computer lab, at that moment ~**

_'I'll be first in line for I told you so when Tony's right.' _Maximus closed the video he'd been using to eavesdrop on the humans, laughing to himself. He'd had a few moments of panic when the sharp-tongued woman, - Romanoff, had Stark called her?- had started questioning Stark about him, but he seemed to have dodged that bullet, for now at least. The Maximoff girl's worry for her absent brother had distracted the 'Avengers' well enough. And the Ultron robot would soon be tested, giving him ample chance to seize control of it for his own ends. It was all coming together, faster than he'd hoped.

"Soon, I will win." He cackled. "I will reclaim my throne, and humans and Inhumans will all bow before me!"

Closing his eyes and grinning, he smiled at how easy it was proving to hoodwink the humans- they would never suspect that there was a cuckoo in the nest!

If Maximus hadn't turned the video feed off so quickly, he might have been a little less sure of himself...

**~ Avengers living quarters ~**

Natasha took a deep breath. "If everyone's finished bickering..."

She waited. The argument had stopped, thankfully, though no-one looked particularly happy.

"I know the current situation is beyond ridiculous: Fury agrees. Why do you think Clint and I came here and told you all of this? Fury can't get involved officially, but he wants all of you to remain alert, just in case. There are too many unknowns right now. So everything Clint and I told you today is off the record, but at least you're informed." She closed her eyes for a minute. "And speaking of unknowns, Stark, I'm still going to go through your records for this new employee- Max, was it?"

"Yes, his name's Max, but there's _no need_-"

"I wasn't asking for permission, Stark. SHIELD's files were hacked earlier this evening, faster than anything you've ever managed, and you yourself said that this 'Max' had access to your systems in that time frame. And if your 'friend' really has nothing to hide, then why shouldn't I check him out?"

Tony threw his hands up. "Fine! Knock yourself out. I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong with him."

"I'll be the judge of that." Natasha said darkly. The team dispersed slowly, Bruce heading to the kitchen for some supper, followed by Clint. Tony and Pepper were having an early night (no-one wanted to know why) and Steve and Wanda were heading to the rec room for a movie night.

"Don't do anything I would!" Tony yelled as the couple vanished. Pepper dragged him away, sighing. Natasha made her way to the computer terminal nearby- she should be able to access all the records for Stark's employees from here.

A few minutes later, she frowned. Tony _had_ said the guy's name was Max, hadn't he? There was no Max in 'Current Employees'... She checked though former employees, and contractural temps. Nothing. JARVIS' only knowledge of the man seemed to originate on the day he'd almost broken into Tony's lab, claiming interest in the Iron Man suits...

Closing down the monitor, she frowned. If this guy wasn't really a Stark employee, what was he after? And how had he managed to convince Tony, and JARVIS, that he worked here?

A footstep behind her startled her- in and of itself a rare occurence, almost no-one could sneak up on _her!_

She whirled, raising her arms defensively. A lanky, pale-faced man with wild black hair and eerie blue eyes faced her. He caught her wrists in his hands, staring deeply into her eyes before she could retaliate.

"You should be careful where you spin your webs, little Black Widow spider." Maximus murmured. "You never know whether you'll trap a wasp."

He let go of her. She didn't move. His control had worked. He sighed in relief- that was too close! He returned his concentration to her.

"You did the search you wanted. All the information you found was satisfactory. You could find nothing to show who tapped into your government agency's files. You aren't going to remember meeting me. You're going to collect your lover, and leave. You will come back here when Ultron is deployed, to inform Stark and the other humans to stay out of the way. You will not return until then."

Having said all he needed to, Maximus quickly made himself scarce. He'd have to alter JARVIS' memory of this, but at least now he'd know when Ultron moved onto the playing field.

Natasha blinked- what just happened? She'd finished her search on Max, cocluded that nothing was out of the ordinary, then...

"Guess I spaced out." she muttered. Oh well. Time to go retrieve Clint anyway. They couldn't stay here too long. Fury's orders had been to discreetly inform the Avengers of the Council's acting against them, not to hang around and socialise afterwards. Besides, they'd be back soon enough. She wanted to see how this 'Ultron' thing did on its trial run, and no doubt Stark would be able to spy on it...

**~ Attilan ~**

"Lord Gorgon?"

"Yes?"

"Our telepathic sensors just detected a huge flare. It seems to be- or is similar to- Maximus' abilities."

Gorgon grinned savagely. _Finally..._ "Where?"

"In the human city of New York, my lord."

Gorgon nodded. "Quicksilver?"

A blur paused next to him. "Yes, Gorgon?"

The Inhuman scowled at the boy's familiar term of address for him, but he was getting used to it. "Go to the king and queen. Tell them we may have located Maximus."

Quicksilver nodded and sped off without another word.

_You'll be back where you belong soon enough, mad Max. _Gorgon grinned to himself. The thought was a cheering one.

_**To be continued...**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Wanda sighed as Pepper led her into yet _another_ store. She appreciated the woman's attempt to distract her from her ever-present worry about her missing twin, but shopping really wasn't her thing.

"Times like this I wish there were more women in the Avengers." She muttered.

Pepper turned from the purple dress she was examining, and frowned. "What?"

"Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud."

Pepper shrugged and picked up the dress, holding it front of Wanda. "What do you think?"

Wanda blinked. "A strapless dress? On _me?_ I don't know..."

"Oh, come on. All you ever wear is jeans and shirts. Would it hurt to try something a bit more feminine?" Pepper smirked. "I bet Steve would like to see you dressed up."

A blush flared across Wanda's face. "Pepper!"

"What? It is normal to look nice for your boyfriend, you know. Tony always appreciates it when I-"

Wanda held a hand up. "I don't need details, thank you!"

"Suit yourself." Pepper replaced the purple satin dress on the rack. "Seriously though, just between us women... how far have things gone?"

_"Pepper!" _Wanda was fairly sure she could cook something on her face now, she was blushing so much. "That's private!"

"Oh, come on, I won't tell anyone. Besides, who else could I gossip with? Natasha isn't the type, in case you hadn't noticed."

Wanda sighed. "Well, things are going ok, I'm happy, I think Steve is. I always enjoy our dates. Steve's such a gentleman."

"He's still acting like he's in the 1940s, isn't he?" Pepper asked shrewdly. "Opening doors for you, holding your hand shyly, asking before he kisses you..."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

Pepper arched an eyebrow. "Are you saying you don't want more?"

Wanda buried her head in her hands. "I don't want to discuss this in public!" _Especially since the other night, when Steve and I... I'm keeping that to myself! Besides, Steve's acted really shy since then..._

Pepper giggled at her friend's embarassed reaction. "Sometimes guys need a little enticement..."

"Sometimes one's friends need to be hexed to mind their own business!" Wanda thought she was going to die of embarassment, but she let a glow encompass one of her hands to illustrate her point. Pepper dropped the subject, though she was still grinning.

_'Note to self: Get Tony to bring this up with Steve. He won't keep his girlfriend if he doesn't get with the times...'_

She hoped the gifts she'd subtly bought for Wanda would be useful in that regard too- if her friend would even accept them!

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Crystal fidgeted with her loose yellow blouse, feeling uncomfortable. Pietro shook his head at her.

"Is the clothing bothering you that much?"

"I don't understand how humans dress like this! It feels so strange..." she smoothed her knee-length black skirt, glancing at her husband's ensemble- blue jeans and a light blue polo shirt. "It's probably easier for you- you used to dress like this all the time, surely?"

Pietro shrugged, frowning. "I suppose I must have. It might be more useful if I remembered any of it!"

_Can we have less talking and more searching from you two, please? _Karnak's voice managed to sound scolding, even when coming through a communicator. _You're supposed to be getting the lay of the land, attempting to work out where Maximus might be hiding, remember?_

Crystal rolled her eyes. "Yes, cousin, we know. New York's a lot bigger than I imagined it would be, though. And we don't even know where to start!"

_Gorgon and I would be helping with the search if we could, Crystal, as would Black Bolt and Medusa. But the fact remains that you and Pietro are the only ones who can blend in among humans. Triton is waiting in the East River as planned. Remember, whether you find anything or not, you are to report to him every four hours. The human world is far from safe for our kind._

Pietro frowned. "Maximus seems to be keeping himself concealed well enough." He thought for a minute, narrowing his eyes. "Wouldn't it be easier to just draw attention somehow? He may well come to us if he thinks we are alone."

_No, Quicksilver. It's too risky. Maximus is unpredictable, and we cannot risk humans detecting anything. Just continue searching. Alert us if you find anything._

Karnak terminated the link on his end. The communicator buzzed and died.

Pietro sighed heavily. He cast a despairing look at the busy street, one of many in the huge city. "How are we supposed to find _anything_ in these masses?!"

Crystal slipped her hand into his. "I don't know... and you're sure you don't recognise any of this?"

"Crystal, my memory problems are not our primary concern right now."

"I know, but if it was me, I'd want to remember _something_, at least. For all you know, you could have lived here!"

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

Her face fell. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Maybe, once Maximus is found and dealt with, we can ask permission to stay here longer. I won't lie and say my past- or lack thereof- doesn't bother me, but we do have a job to do right now."

"Alright, but..."

"Yes?"

"Do you have the human currency Karnak made for you?" Crystal rubbed her stomach. "I haven't eaten since breakfast, and the baby is making me hungry!"

Pietro shook his head, laughing, at his wife's petulant expression. "Alright, I think I saw some sort of restaurant back there, come on. It won't hurt us to sit for a while." He pulled the plastic card Karnak had given him out of his jeans pcket. _Credit card_, he remembered suddenly. He blinked, pushing the recollection away. It wasn't important right now...

A few minutes later, they were seated at a table outside 'Starbucks'. Crystal examined her menu curiously. "Most of this seems to be drinks... I don't recognise half the words!"

He took it from her, turning the page. "I think this," he indicated the last page, "is all the food they do here. Most of it seems to be cakes."

Crystal took the menu back, considering, while Pietro frowned at a tower a few streets ahead. It had a huge letter 'A' on the side, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he recognised it...

"I think I'll try this 'ginger loaf cake', it looks good... Pietro? What's wrong?" Crystal followed his gaze. "Hmm. That building looks fairly advanced, for something made by humans... why are you staring at it like that?"

"I've been there... I think." Pietro's voice was distant for a minute. He shook himself as a waiter came and took Crystal's order. He waved off the request of him wanting anything. "Alright, enough daydreaming. Do you have any idea what sort of place Maximus might be hiding in?"

Crystal shrugged delicately. "You've been told he's incredibly intelligent. I imagine he'd want to be somewhere where he could use his talents, but in a city this size?" She sighed. "I think we'll have to wait until he uses his powers again. Our telepaths are still keeping a look out for that, but until and unless that happens..."

"Then there's nothing else we can do but wait." Pietro slumped in his seat. One of the things he hated most was inaction. "But we need to be here in the city so we can recapture Maximus when we _do_ track him down."

Crystal nodded. "I know this isn't ideal, but it's the best we can do if we want to keep our people hidden."

The waiter handed Crystal her cake at that moment. She thanked him politely, before taking a tentative bite. "I like this!" She made short work of the rest of it, while Pietro's eyes wandered aimlessly.

Two women, one brunette, one strawberry-blonde, both laden with shopping bags, took a seat at a table nearby. They were served with drinks almost immediately- the staff here seemed very keen to please them. Pietro frowned, squinting. _Is that..._ He stood abruptly.

Crystal jumped. "What's wrong?"

He walked to her side of the table, speaking quietly. "Those women over there? The darker-haired one? I'm almost certain that she's the one who was outside Attilan, all those months ago."

"The one who knew your name?" Crystal whipped her head round, staring. "Do you recognise her now? Or the other one?"

"No!" Pietro hissed. "Look away, will you?"

"But don't you want-"

The strawberry blonde looked over at that moment, and gasped, knocking her drink flying.

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"Pepper! What's wrong?" Wanda quickly grabbed some napkins to soak up the spilled coffee, before glancing to see what was the matter. Pepper's eyes were locked on a table just out of Wanda's line of sight. Frowning, Wanda stood, only to have a pale-faced Pepper grab her by the arm.

"Wanda- don't-"

It was too late. The brunette woman stood, shaking, at the sight of her _brother,_ who'd been missing for half a year, at a Starbucks table, with a blonde woman, as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

"I'm calling Tony." Pepper's voice was sharp.

"I'm going over there."

"Wanda, no! Last time he saw you, he didn't recognise you, remember? If you approach him now, and frighten him off, how do you think we'll ever find him again?"

"But..."

"Just let me get a hold of the others. It might be easier if we make contact as a group." Pepper waited for Tony to pick up his cell, tapping her foot impatiently. "And try not to stare!"

Wanda dropped her eyes sullenly. The only thing she _wanted_ to do right now was go over there, grab her twin by the ear, and drag him back home. She recognised that this probably wasn't the wisest course, however. _Wonder who the woman is... she wasn't with those other beings last time we saw Pietro, in the Himalayas..._

_**~ Stark Tower, at that moment ~**_

Maximus strolled casually into Stark's living quarters. Over the past few weeks, since he had taken control of the red-headed spy, he'd also managed to plant obedience into the heads of most of the other 'Avengers'. Stark was already his, of course. The soldier, Captain America, had proved suprisingly easy to subdue. _But then, I suppose he is used to taking orders... _The scientist, Banner, had taken a bit longer, but would offer no further trouble- unless he transformed, Maximus wasn't sure if the 'Hulk' even had a mind to control. Stark's AI, JARVIS, was his as well.

The only ones who had eluded him were Stark's lover, Pepper, who he viewed as unimportant, the archer, Barton, whom he hadn't seen, and the newest Avenger, Wanda Maximoff. He needed her to retain free will, so as to distract the Inhumans when they inevitably tracked him down. _Revealing that dear Crystal's husband has familial ties to the team that sheltered me will cause so many questions about his loyalty..._ He snickered to himself, imagining the chaos that would result.

He eyed the prostate team of mind-controlled Avengers critically. They stood like statues, their eyes glazed. Of course, he mused, they had no idea that they were _being_ controlled. He'd let them live their lives as normal unless he needed them at that precise moment. It meant he could use his power subtly, and hopefully avoid detection- what he'd done to Romanoff had been too powerful, and he was lucky he hadn't already been found!

An annoying buzzing noise broke into Maximus' thoughts, and he whirled, furious. Stark's cell was ringing. He frowned in annoyance. If he let Stark answer, the man would witter on for hours! But if he didn't, the phone would probably keep _buzzing_ for hours...

The phone beeped, going to voicemail, solving the problem for him. Maximus took it, putting it on speaker so he could eavesdrop.

-"Tony, it's Pepper. Where are you? Listen, we have a problem. Wanda and I just stopped for a coffee, and... Pietro's here. Just a few yards away. With some blonde girl." A pause. "Seriously, Tony, if you're there, pick up the ph"-

Maximus cut the message off, and frowned. Quicksilver and Crystal, already in the city? The other Inhumans probably weren't far behind them, and the twins re-uniting at this point could be a disaster!

"I didn't put all this effort in to have my plans backfire!" He snarled, throwing the phone on the floor. It shattered. Maximus' flare of temper caused his concentration to waver, and Romanoff, possibly the strongest willed of the team, blinked. Her fingers twitched. Lucidity came back to her eyes.

"What..."

Maximus cursed himself (and Pietro, Crystal, and the other Inhumans) as he strode over to Romanoff, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"You are not going to speak again! You will stand here, silently, until I tell you to do otherwise!" He maintained eye contact until her eyes went blank again. Maximus took several deep breaths to calm himself, then a maniacal grin spread over his face. He strode over to the nearest computer.

"Miss Potts wants to speak with Iron Man? That can be arranged." He typed in a few commands, and waited until he was sure his 'suprise' was headed out of the tower. Then, improvising, he jumped straight to step 2: locking down Stark Tower so no-one could get in or out without his permission. Within minutes, the tower became a fortress. He took a seat, sighing with exaggerated happiness, pulling up a CCTV feed so he could watch the hilarious results when the pre-programmed Iron Man suit reached the resturant.

"Let the games begin..."

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Pepper shoved her phone back in her purse, exasperated. "I had to leave a message. I swear, if Tony's locked himself in the lab with Max again... those two have been working on an 'important project' for weeks now, but Tony won't tell me a thing!"

Wanda's eyes were still on Pietro and the blonde, who were talking quietly. "So what are we supposed to do? If they leave..."

Pepper shook her head, about to respond, when Pietro, seeming annoyed, stalked inside the resturant. The blonde woman stared after him for a minute, then turned her gaze to Pepper and Wanda. She stood up slowly, biting her lip.

Wanda had had enough. She walked over to the blonde woman before Pepper could stop her. She followed, hoping this scene wouldn't be _too_ explosive...

The blonde woman held her hands up cautiously, as if she were afraid of them. Pepper couldn't blame her- Wanda's expression was slightly scary! Grabbing her friend's shoulder, she decided to speak first.

"Um, hi. I know this might seem rude, but... the man you're with..."

"My husband."

Wanda and Pepper exchanged stunned looks. Pepper scrambled to recollect her thoughts.

"Yes, um... his name's Pietro, isn't it?"

"Yes." The blonde folded her arms, looking at Wanda. "_You_ at least already know that. How?" Her expression was merely curious, but Pepper got the distinct impression that she was used to getting what she wanted.

Wanda responded with a withering glare. "He's my brother. My twin, actually. And I think I have a right to ask questions too. Who are you?"

"My name is Crystal." She actually _smiled!_

Pepper cut in again. "Right... I'm sure you'll understand we're in a state of shock here. Pietro's been missing for over half a year. We thought at first he'd died fighting-"

"That chitauri," Crystal said, a look of comprehension dawning on her face.

Wanda nodded tersely. "And then, we found him with some other crea- _people_," she amended fast, "but he didn't remember me, or any of his past. We've spent every day since then trying to track him down, and-"

"Who's 'we'?" Pietro, using his powers, reappeared beside Crystal in a blur, his eyes fixed distrustingly on Wanda.

"Pietro..." Words failed Wanda utterly at that moment. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She'd hoped for so long to find her twin again, and he was treating her like an enemy!

His expression remained cold. "Answer the question."

"Pietro!" Crystal's voice was chiding. "She says she's-"

"I heard what she said. Doesn't mean I believe it. She looks nothing like me." He glowered at his 'sister'. "Prove it."

"I..." Wanda's heart sank. She had no way of doing that, not really...

Pepper tried to intervene. "Look, she _is_ telling the truth. If you two will just come home with us, we can expl-"

A deafening explosion cut her off. A cacophony of screams and shattering glass echoed for several minutes: Pietro moved to push Crystal out of the line of fire. Wanda cast several hex bolts to deflect shards of glass and falling debris.

"What was that?" Pietro glanced around, making sure no-one was badly hurt (they weren't, most of the humans were fleeing) before glaring at Wanda and Pepper. "What are you two really up to?!"

Wanda's temper flared again. She had _never_ let Pietro talk to her like that, and she wasn't starting now. "That had nothing to do with us. How about, instead of blaming the wrong people, dear brother, you work _with_ us to figure out what happened?"

Crystal laughed. _I have to get her to teach me how to handle his moods..._

Pietro was about to retort that he still didn't believe they were siblings, when the sound of repulsors made them all whirl around. Pepper's eyes widened.

One of the newest Iron Man suits, fully armed, stood in the gaping hole that had been a doorway. One of its missile launchers was smoking, as if it had been fired recently. Pepper's eyes flickered from the wreckage to what she thought was Tony.

"Why on earth did you-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence. 'Iron Man' raised its hand, and a repulsor beam shot straight at her. Wanda lunged to knock her out of the way, but she wasn't fast enough. Pepper's last coherent thought was _what?_

Everything went dark.

Wanda screamed Pepper's name as she collapsed. The older woman didn't move. A well-placed hex bolt made 'Iron Man' falter, judder to a halt, then crumple to the ground. The armour came apart as it fell, and Wanda frowned, confused.

"No-one in there..."

Crystal and Pietro blinked.

"Is there supposed to be? Robots do malfunction..." Crystal's voce trailed off.

"It's not a robot." Wanda ignored the fallen armour, rushing to check Pepper. Thankfully, she was breathing.

"Not a robot? Then what..." Pietro's voice was sceptical- she had to remember that he had no memory, wouldn't know this armour belonged to their friend...

"It's a suit of armour." she explained quickly. "It isn't meant to function without a person inside it. Supposedly, _if_ it's being piloted, then it can be controlled by outside forces, as its computerised, but it shouldn't be able to act independently. No technology can do that..."

"No technology humans have." Pietro muttered darkly. His mind had leaped to a conclusion faster than most people's would have- he always solved puzzles more quickly than anyone else he knew, back home in Attilan...

"Not human technology? But what else is there?" Wanda scowled when he ignored her, then she went to look at the fallen armour again. It was one of Tony's newest models... _How did it get sent here, and why?_

Crystal's eyes widened suddenly, fixed on Pietro. "You think this has something to do with Maxi-"

He pressed his hand over her mouth, but nodded. "Unlees you have another explanation?"

Wanda glanced over at them. "What are you two talking about?"

The armour she was still knelt close to began beeping rapidly. She glanced back at it, forehead furrowed.

There was an incredible roaring noise... white flashes... Crystal and Pietro shouting... the world lurched sideways... everything slipped away into blissful darkness.

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Maximus watched Pietro and Crystal running to tend to the humans. Potts was still unconscious, but beginning to stir. Maximoff had a head injury, it seemed, and some burns from being too close to the armour when it self-combusted.

"Silly girl." He muttered. "That was meant for Crystal. Would've been a nice way of ensuring that Inhumans and humans never worked together... oh well. Even if anyone figures out that I'm responsible now, doesn't matter. I have a tower, a team of fighters under my control to deploy if I need to, and of course..." He called up an image of Ultron. "I can always bring this piece into play if I must... assuming the foolish human goverment don't do it for me!" The upper floors of Stark Tower echoed with insane laughter.

Captain America, Iron Man, The Black Widow, and the Hulk all stood motionless.

Maximus looked at his slaves. "Well?"

Synchronised laughter sounded for a few minutes, ending when Maximus raised his hand.

"That will do for now. The fun is only just beginning..."

**To be continued...**


End file.
